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FIRST VIEW 1: BULK HOLLAND

Bulk Holland. Picture: Trevor Jones

The OMC bulk carrier BULK HOLLAND (IMO 9746760) paid Durban a call yesterday (Wednesday 9 January) to take bunkers ahead of her voyage to Brazil, with next port of call being the small port of Vila do Conde. Bulk Holland is owned by Singapore interests (OMC) and managed by them. The 87,712-dwt ship is 229 metres in length by 32m wide. As this picture and report was being added to AfricaPORTS & SHIPS the vessel was in the channel while departing from Durban having completed her business in the port. Picture by Trevor Jones

FIRST VIEW 2: SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER

Seven Seas Explorer. Picture: Trevor Jones

The luxury cruise ship SEVEN SEAS EXPLORERof Regent Seven Seas cruises paid her first visit to Durban in December as she sailed the South African coast. Here the ship is seen arriving in the port. Picture is by Trevor Jones

FIRST VIEW 3: VISBORG

Visborg. Upper Picture: Trevor Jones, Lower: Keith Betts

A highly unusual visitor to the port of Durban on Friday, 4 January was this new dual fuel (LNG/diesel) ferry named VISBORG (IMO 9763655)which arrived from the East to take bunkers. The 32,466-gt vessel is owned by Gotland Rederi AB of Visby in Sweden with the commercial and ship manager being Destination Gotland AB, which on behalf of the Swedish government operates a small fleet of ferries between Gotland and the Swedish mainland. The vessel is on her delivery voyage and after completing her bunkering and re-supply she sailed to round the Cape, heading down the KZN South Coast and beyond at a fast rate of over 33 knots. This wasn’t to last however and south of Coffee Bay off the Wild Coast something occurred causing the ship to do an about-turn and head back in the direction of Durban, this time at a more subdued rate of around 8 knots and giving rise to speculation that she has incurred a problem. However, once again she produced a surprise and during the night Visborg bypassed Durban some distance out to sea and on Monday morning (05h30) was heading north-east of the port of Richards Bay. This is now the cause of much speculation with the consensus that she is returning to the builder’s yard in China, although there remains an outside chance that she has been instructed to instead go via the Suez Canal. If that were so then it would appear a most odd decision, given that she was so far south when she turned about. LATEST: In a further turnabout, Visborg has reversed her course yet again and as of Wednesday morning (9 January) the ferry was in Cape waters back on her original course of rounding the Cape. The above pictures were taken in Durban harbour on Friday 4 January 2019 by Trevor Jones (upper picture) and Keith Betts (lower).

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SHIPS IN PORT AT DURBAN TODAY (FRIDAY 15H00)

In port today: NAUTICA. Picture by Trevor Jones

The following ships were in port at Durbanor at anchor in the roadstead on Friday afternoon 15h00:

You can follow Ship Movements, ETAs and Departures at many of the ports of South & East Africa by CLICKING HERE

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STONEWIN OPENS SHIP BUNKERING OPERATION AT PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

Hakkasan in Singapore. Picture by Vesselfinder / mgklingsock@aol.com

Stonewin, the Latvian-based supplier of fuels to defence and security institutions, revealed this week that it has branched out into commercial type operations with a marine bunkering operation in Mauritius.

The bunker supply company is making use of the double-hulled bunker barge HAKKASAN (IMO 9474369), built in 2008, with operations having commenced as from 2 January 2019.

Fuel being supplied includes IFO180 cst and MGO products under its own Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) via a fully controlled supply chain.

He said it enhances Stonewin’s global presence and offers diversification to the business. “Allowing us to strengthen existing and build new relations with our customers, through providing a first-class bunkering service,” he added.

Mauritius is located along one of the world’s largest ocean routes on the east/west trade through the Cape of Good Hope and offers a safe bunkering option in the Indian Ocean. Stonewin will provide and efficient service, reliable quality and flexibility on quantity, Schaltuper said.

Stonewin was establish in 2014 and since 2015 has been supplying fuel to the government sector around the world including bunker supplies across Europe, the Caribbean, North-East America, Panama, West Africa and South Africa. Stonewin’s head office is in Riga, Latvia and operates out of Dubai in the UAE.

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The Japanese group Toyota Tsusho is proposing to invest US$600 million in a development project in Namibe Bay in southern Angola.

Namibe Bay is home to the Port of Namibe, Angola’s southernmost. The port and town is served by a railway extending inland to the towns of Lubango and Menongue.

Namibe’s port serving southern Angola

This is reported by Macauhub as being according to an order signed by Angolan President João Lourenço.The presidential order authorises the inclusion of the project to secure financing from the credit line opened for Angola by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

The document quoted by…

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Friendly Approaches have helped to build mutual trust and understanding between counter-piracy naval forces and the local Somali community over the last 10 years, says EU NAVFOR, the European naval initiative undertaking counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.

As the new year got underway, on 2 January 2019 the Spanish patrol vessel ESPS Relámpago conducted an approach to a Somali dhow as part of standing counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Once invited on-board the dhow by the Somali crew, the Spanish marines asked them about…

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MAERSK & SAFMARINE LAUNCH MUSAFIR EXPRESS TO MOGADISHU

Musafir Express timetable

Maersk and Safmarine have jointly launched the Musafir Express, a new feeder service connecting Salalah to Mogadishu, Somalia.

The service expands the ocean carrier’s presence in East Africa, which Maersk regards as a growing region and key market for its customers.

The service was announced by Safmarine in November and the first sailing of the Musafir Express departed from Salalah on 29 December 2018, before arriving in Mogadishu on 3 January 2019.

The bi-weekly service connects Somalia to the rest of the world, allowing the country to expand its trading links within Africa and across the Middle East, Europe, and the Far East.

Maersk and Safmarine follow several other container shipping lines that have opened connections with Somalia and adjacent regions.

“Having listened to our customers, we are truly excited to finally add Mogadishu to our global network,” said Mads Skov-Hansen, Area Managing Director for Maersk in Eastern Africa.

“What is equally exciting is that Maersk and Safmarine, with our experienced Somali partner, can offer a broad selection of inland logistics solutions to our local and international customers.”

In 2017, imports into Mogadishu grew by 12%, and container traffic is expected to rise by a further 15% during the period of 2018 to 2019.

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MORE NAMES REVEALED IN ALLEGED MOZAMBICAN EMATUM FRAUD

Several additional names have been revealed following indictments over the alleged fraudulent scheme in Mozambique that included a fleet of apparently unnecessary fishing trawlers.

The New York State Attorney’s Office this week indicted Mozambicans António Carlos do Rosário and Teófilo Nhangumele in the New York State Attorney’s Office ‘hidden debts’ case that is now unravelling all the details behind the scam that netted certain individuals in banking and government circles an estimated US$700 million.

According to VOA the New York State Attorney’s Office has accused three…

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MAMMOET MOVES HEAVY LIFTING EQUIPMENT INTO NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE

Mammoet, the global heavy lifting and transport specialist, has begun moving a fleet of heavy lifting and transport equipment into northern Mozambique ahead of the developing gas and oil sector in those parts.

Mammoet is positioning a fleet of specialised equipment and supporting crew of experienced professionals in the town of Mocímboa da Praia in Cabo Delgado province.

The office, which will be…

Civic building in Mocimboa da Praia

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For the first time since counter-piracy deployments began in 2008, the Indian Navy has performed the escort of vital humanitarian aid for the UN’s World Food Programme, following an escort request by EU NAVFOR.

On 24-25 December 2018, the Indian warship SUNAYNA escorted a WFP dhow transporting 360 tons of food aid from…

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WALVIS BAY LOOKS FORWARD TO SIX CRUISE SHIP CALLS DURING JANUARY

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, seen here in Cape Town during 2017, will be calling at Walvis Bay on 16 January. Picture: Chris Godden

The Namibian port of Walvis Bay is playing host to six international cruise ships during January, including three calls from MSC Musica.

According to the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport), this is also the first time in the history of this port that three passenger ships will be in port alongside simultaneously.

MSC Musica is calling at the port on three occasions during January, on 12, 16 and 22

On Tuesday, 15 January 2019, AIDAaura visits the port and is followed a day later with visits from MSC Musica, Nautica and Queen Elizabeth.

MSC Musica will be back again for the third time on 22 January. The MSC Cruises’ ship, which can carry over 3,300 passengers, is operating several cruises out of Cape Town this month, before returning to Durban to continue operating cruises to Mozambique destinations until the cruise season ends in April.

“The port of Walvis Bay looks forward to hosting the cruise liners [sic] due for arrival next week and we have geared up our security and transport resources during this time to ensure a smooth flow of movement for 7,000 passengers moving in and out of the port,” said Mr Elias Mwenyo, Acting Chief Executive Officer.

Artist’s impression of the new cruise jetty when completed. Image: Namport

“The town of Walvis Bay has an opportunity to showcase the beauty of our natural assets and hospitality,” he said. “The town will be a buzz for a few days as the local tourism and other commercial sectors will benefit from our international visitors.”

As part of Namport’s infrastructure development, a dedicated passenger ship jetty is being constructed at the port of Walvis Bay and is due for completion later this year.

“This will open doors for Namibia as a passenger liner [sic] tourist destination which forms part of the national tourism goals set in the NDP 5 underscored by the Harambee Prosperity Plan to boost the Namibian economy and create job prospects in the imminent future,” Mr Mwenyo said.

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MOROCCO TO INVEST US$190 MILLION IN PORT INFRASTRUCTURE

Port of Casablanca scene

According to a report in the French publication L’Economiste, Morocco’s state-owned Agence Nationale des Ports (ANP – National Ports Agency) intends investing in port infrastructure to the value of US$190.3 million.

Almost half of this amount will be invested in the ports during 2019. The balance of the money will go into port development and infrastructure between 2020 and 2021.

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Manila-headquartered International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has signed the final concession documents for a 20-year concession to develop and operate the Port Sudan Container Terminal.

Port Sudan faces on the Red Sea and is the principal port of the Republic of Sudan. In July 2018 ICTSI was declared the preferred bidder to manage, operate and develop the container terminal which in 2017 had a throughput of 470,000 TEUs.

The concession documents were…

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NAMIBIAN ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTRY PUTS A STOP TO SOUTH AFRICAN MANGANESE EXPORTS THROUGH LÜDERITZ

Port and town of Lüderitz

Namibia’s Environmental Ministry has called a halt to South African companies that have been stockpiling manganese ore outside Lüderitz, prior to it being exported.

According to a report in The Namibian, the suspension of manganese stockpiling near the port was a temporary matter pending further investigations and was the result of a meeting last Friday (4 January) between local people with concerns over health issues and environmental ministry officials.

The question of the stockpiling of the ore arose after trucks began arriving…

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US$40 MILLION INVESTMENT PLAN FOR LUANDA PORT MULTIPURPOSE TERMINAL

Port of Luanda

It is being reported in the Angolan press that local port terminal operator Transportadora de Cargas, Operadora de Terminais e Transitário (Unicargas) intends investing a total of US$40 million during 2019 to refurbish and re-equip the facilities at the Luanda port multipurpose terminal.

The company chairman, Celso Rosa is quoted by the Angop news agency as saying that…

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[15:36] YouTube Video recorded by eNCA

Acting on information passed through Interpol, the South African Hawks on Monday (7 January) raided a container ship in the Port of Ngqura, where cocaine with a street value of R720 million was seized.

The drugs were packed in 1kg packets and concealed in a container on the vessel.

The report by the Hawk’s spokesman is somewhat confusing in that he says the drugs were hidden in the bottom or ‘frame’ of the ship with 3669 containers packed above, which is clearly not possible. Instead what is likely is that the vessel was carrying 3669 TEU when she arrived in Ngqura, where approximately 60 containers were to be discharged and a similar number loaded.

It also seems more likely that the cocaine would have been concealed within one of the containers that was loaded at the bottom of the stack in the ship.

According to the spokesman, Hawks’ National Directorate Head Godfrey Lebeya, the drugs originated in Brazil and were intended for discharge in India via Singapore. Had they had been loose in the ship’s hold there would be no indication where they were to be smuggled ashore.

Lebeya disclosed that the Hawks were advised of the presence of the drugs on the ship on 27 December since when the Hawks and other authorities in South Africa had been preparing for the ship’s arrival. He said that no arrests were made nor was the ship being delayed or detained as it was simply the means of transportation in this case (which is another reason why we believe the drugs were concealed in a container).

The YouTube video clip above, courtesy also of eNCA, covers the major part of the media conference held in the Eastern Cape after the drugs had been recovered from the vessel.

Our own investigation reveals that three container ships were in the Port of Ngqura yesterday – MSC Nicole, MSC Spain and Conti Courage. MSC Spain would appear to be the ship on which the cocaine was carried, as she was the only vessel of the three to have arrived direct from Santos in Brazil. In addition, MSC Spain is headed for Singapore as her destination.

Conti Courage on the other hand arrived from Durban and is deployed on the Europe – South Africa service while MSC Nicole arrived from Mombasa and operates on the East Africa service.

On 1 January the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78)arrived in the Turkish Navy’s base at Aksaz for a regular scheduled port visit on its sixth forward-deployed naval forces patrol in the US 6th Fleet area of operations.The warship’s patrol is a demonstration of the US Navy’s continued commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships in…

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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PORT OF NACALA REACHES TARGET FOR GENERAL CARGO AS NEW ROUND OF DREDGING COMMENCES

Nacala Coal Terminal at Nacala a-Velha. Picture: Mitsui

As the Port of Nacala in northern Mozambique embarks on a new round of dredging as part of a US$273 million upgrade, the operating company CDN (Northern Development Corridor) is celebrating having achieved its annual budgeted target of handling 473,662 tons of general cargo by 4 December 2018.

CDN says it regards this as an important milestone that was achieved through a culture of teamwork and the selfless work of all employees, together with the deployment of goals up to the operational level.

Two ports in one

Nacala refers to several modes involving the rail and the port – in effect two ports – Nacala a-Velha which handles the coal exports, and the Port of Nacala that handles…

The port of Nacala’s new pilot boat ‘Pinda’. Picture: CDN

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IRCLASS REVIEW OF 2018 AND PROJECTIONS FOR 2019

The Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) continues to record steady growth in its classed fleet, flag recognition and geographical presence, mirroring the shipping industry’s ongoing recovery. This was reported early in the New Year.

Fleet Growth

With tankers and bulk carriers continuing to dominate IRClass’s tonnage, the classed fleet has grown more than 4% in the past year, with the foreign flag fleet seeing a particularly impressive growth of 22% which is 16% in tonnage terms and indicative of strong overseas growth.

Flag Recognition and Geographical Presence

IRClass is now recognised by 41 flag states globally, seeing recent additions in 2018 from The Netherlands, Vietnam, Jordan and Bahrain.

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As we enter the New Year the (UK) Ministry of Defence reported that more than 11,000 sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines had been at work over the festive period, involved in 35 operations in more than 30 countries ranging from Iraq to the South Atlantic.

In total 14 warships were at sea from the Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dragon in the Gulf to the Type 23 Frigate HMS Argyll in the Asia Pacific region.

Since 1969 the UK has had a submarine on patrol for every minute of every day, providing the UK’s nuclear deterrent and Christmas 2018 was no different.

As the year came to a close, I thought it would be time to take a look back at some of the most memorable images of 2018 for the UK Armed Forces in general and the Royal Navy in particular. Here, the excellent Defence Imagery service has made this possible and I have been privileged with their help to bring to you valuable material with news items down the months.

Many who captured these images are servicemen and women first and photographers second, deploying with the rifle as well as the camera, taking the same risks as others but also giving the public a unique, candid view of the realities of conflict. Away from operations they also capture the day-to-day reality of military life.

Speaking of MoD imagery Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “2018 was a historic year for our Armed Forces, they have been at the heart of some of our country’s greatest success stories and biggest achievements.

“To capture their work we have deployed photographers around the globe to give the general public a unique glimpse of life in our Armed Forces. Defence photographers are some of the most valued and highly trained members of our Armed Forces and I thank them for their service.”

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Some of the UK’s Armed Forces best moments of 2018…

Image of HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer, currently on operations in the Mediterranean, seen here with her Wildcat helicopter test firing its defensive aid suite.Image of HMS St Albans silhouetted at sunset.Image of Royal Navy submarine HMS Trenchant, broken through the ice of the North Pole on Polar Ice Exercise 18 (ICEX). ICEX is a series of demanding trials in the harsh climate of the Arctic Circle, designed to test submariners’ skills in operating under the Arctic ice cap. Trenchant joined US submarines USS Connecticut and USS Hartford for the drills, co-ordinated by the US Navy’s Arctic Submarine Laboratory.Image of HMS Protector sailing through the Antarctic on a routine patrol. HMS Protector conducts Foreign & Commonwealth Office visits to make routine checks to confirm the Antarctic Treaty is being upheld.During these visits the ship sailed to Deception Island, Nelson’s Island, Harmony Point, Brown Bluff, Palmer Station, the Weddell Sea and Port Lockroy. Protector is currently two years into a five year Deployment to the South Atlantic, these images were taken during Work Package 4 of the 2017-2018 Ice Patrol Season.

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UK TRADE AND INVESTMENT IN 2018

More businesses than ever are seeking expansion opportunities overseas, (UK) International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP reported on 31 December as he celebrated a successful year for trade and investment.

Dr Liam Fox said: “2018 has been a year to celebrate our successes in trade – with record highs in investment and exports. In a year where we launched our Export Strategy, our GDP continues to grow at a quicker rate than the Eurozone, and employment is at a rate we haven’t seen for more than 40 years.

“With exports reaching £626 billion we…

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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NET DRAWS TIGHTER AROUND ALLEGED EMATUM CONSPIRATORS

EMATUM trawlers built by CMN in France are an intricate part in a massive fraud that has handicapped the African country’s economy

The net is drawing tighter around those alleged to have been the main conspirators of a huge Mozambique scam in which more than US$2 billion in loans was created to enable the syphoning off of between $200 and $700 million.

Among those that have been arrested are the former Mozambique finance minister Manuel Chang who was arrested in South Africa and awaits possible extradition to the United States, and three former Credit Suisse bankers, Andrew Pearse, Surjan Singh and Detelina Subeva. The three were arrested in London on US charges alleging that they participated in the loans of over $2 billion to state-owned maritime sector companies that were created in Mozambique. They also await extradition to the US.

The disastrous fire on board the MOL car carrier SINCERITY ACE (reported elsewhere in this issue) was only the beginning of a New Year to be forgotten in terms of tragedies and mishaps at sea.

The latest update regarding Sincerity Ace is that the ship lies abandoned by her crew and listing to starboard, with five of her crew dead – four presumed to be from drowning and one missing – and 16 others rescued from their liferaft. Several of the bodies could not be recovered from the sea by rescuers on board assisting merchant ships, as the bodies were unresponsive, and had to be left in the ocean.

The cause of this dramatic fire in mid-Pacific Ocean will be studied with lots of interest – already there is idle speculation over the possible use of flares to celebrate the passing of the old year, as the fire broke out late on the night of 31 December. This is however just speculation at this time but the question arises as to how a relatively modern (built 2009) RoRo car carrier could catch fire which then could not be contained.

The investigation and eventual Inquiry will be studied with interest. Meanwhile, condolences go out to the families of those lost at sea.

Yantian Express fire

Yantian Express, the former Shanghai Express. Picture: Vesselfinder

A second ship to catch fire is the 7,500-TEU Hapag-Lloyd container ship YANTIAN EXPRESS (IMO 9229831)on which a container caught fire while the ship was in the North Atlantic some 650 n.miles from the Canadian coast – the ship’s destination.

The fire spread to adjacent containers and the crew was forced to abandoned efforts at firefighting by the rough seas. The ship has remained under way and has been turned so that she faces the way which least assists the fire. A salvage tug SMIT NICOBAR has arrived on scene to assist.

The crew of 23, who fought the fire until adverse weather conditions brought an end to their efforts, are reported by Hapag-Lloyd to be safe.

The company said that it was still too early to make a precise estimate of any damage to the vessel, which remains underway, or its cargo.

UPDATE LATEST

In the latest development, Hapag-Lloyd has advised that the entire crew of the Yantian Express, 24 in total, has been evacuated from the ship and all are safely on board the attending tug SMIT Nicobar, which is fighting the fire. The company said that due to bad weather the fire has not been contained and has spread into other containers and has significantly increased in intensity, hence the decision to remove the crew to safety. The ship is currently about 800 nautical miles off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Fire on ship Mark off Istanbul

In another instance of a fire on a ship, the crew of a small 4,195-dwt general cargo ship named MARK (IMO 7721952) were forced to abandon ship near Istanbul when a fire broke out in the accommodation block.

The crew of 15 managed to safely evacuate the ship but fire-fighting vessels that went to the scene have managed to extinguish the fire. Mark is owned by Turkish interests and is registered in Togo.

Containers lost off MSC Zoe

All pictures of MSC Zoe and containers courtesy: Netherlands Coastguard

In perhaps the most publicised mishap of the New Year, 270 containers are reported to have fallen off the large 19,000-TEU container ship MSC ZOE (IMO 9703318), which was sailing at the time off the German coast.

The containers were lost overboard during a heavy storm in the North Sea. Pictures of the ship show damaged containers on board and the spaces from where others went overboard.

A number of the containers have washed ashore on the nearby Dutch North Sea islands. News images and social media have shown Dutch residents as having thought a second Christmas was taking place with gifts washing ashore from broken containers along the beaches. Flat-screen television sets, toy, shoes, tyres, car parts, furniture – those helping themselves could afford to be selective about what they scavenged.

It is a reminder of the chaos that took place on a UK Devon coast in 2014, when another MSC ship, MSC NAPOLI, was driven aground to prevent her from sinking. That ship was heading to South Africa and people living along the Devon coast of England reverted to an age-old occupation whenever a ship went ashore – helping themselves!

Television footage showed policemen standing by and merely looking on as local people arrived to scavenge and take what they could find – including the sight of people wheeling away brand new BMW motor bikes intended for a Johannesburg showroom.

Back in the Netherlands, the Dutch Coast Guard has reacted with warnings that several containers carried hazardous materials and have not yet been recovered. The Netherlands authorities said they will seek damages for the cleaning up of the coastline and that they will look at laying criminal charges arising out of possible violations of the country’s Pollution Prevention Act.

In a statement MSC responded by saying said that it has hired Ardent Global to coordinate a search at sea off both Germany and the Netherlands, in full collaboration with the relevant authorities, for the unrecovered and missing containers and will pay the full costs of the clean-up.

“MSC is committed to continue searching the sea for the containers which fell overboard, until the last one is found”… and “will ensure that the beaches of the Dutch and German coastlines are surveyed until all debris related to the incident has been cleared.”

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PIRATE ATTACK OF BENIN COAST – SIX CREW KIDNAPPED

MSC Mandy. Picture: Wikipedia Commons

Six Russian crew members from the 2,668-TEU container ship MSC MANDY (IMO 8918966)were kidnapped when pirates struck as the vessel was sailing off the coast of Benin in West Africa.

The 46,852-dwt MSC Mandy had recently sailed…

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ONE JOINTLY CONDUCTS WITH PSA AN IMMERSIVE EDUCATIONAL STUDY TOUR

It was reported on 3 January by Ocean Network Express (ONE*) that it had collaborated with PSA Singapore (PSA) for a joint corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to promote the learning of container shipping for elementary students from The Japanese School Singapore.

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AIDA Cruises, a division of Carnival Corp, welcomed the first cruise guests on board AIDAnova, the world’s first LNG-fueled cruise ship to enter service.

AIDAnova was making a maiden call in the Canary Islands where the Carnival group has taken over operations of the new cruise terminal in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. For the first time, a cruise ship powered by environmentally friendly liquefied natural gas has been fueled on the Canary Islands.

This took place on 19 December 2018 when AIDA Cruises welcomed the first guests on board for the premiere cruise around the Canary Islands and Madeira.

The world’s first cruise ship arrived in Tenerife on the afternoon of 18 December in time to be fueled with LNG for the first time for its premiere season. The Shell LNG tanker CARDISSA supplied the ship with the low emission marine fuel.

This event also augmented operations of the Carnival Group’s cruise terminal in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.During a reception aboard, AIDA President Felix Eichhorn underlined the uniqueness of the first ship of the new AIDA generation.

“With strong enthusiasm and creativity, we have united an extraordinary variety of products for our guests in one place, on AIDAnova. We are very proud to operate what is currently the most environmentally friendly cruise ship and we will continue to pursue this path,” he said.

AIDAnova is equipped with state-of-the art technology for environmentally friendly travel. With four dual-fuel engines and three gas tanks on board, it is the first cruise ship in the world that can be powered at port and at sea with low-emission liquefied natural gas.Emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides are almost completely eliminated and nitrogen oxides and CO2 emissions are sustainably reduced.

AIDA Cruises began investing in LNG propulsion technology more than ten years ago. In 2021 and 2023, two additional ships from this new AIDA generation will join the AIDA fleet. In less than five years, more than half of all AIDA guests will be traveling on board ships that are either fully or partially powered with low-emission liquefied natural gas.

On 22 December more guests boarded AIDAnova at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, the second changeover port for AIDAnova on the Canary Islands. During her premiere season, AIDAnova is embarking on seven-day cruises around the Canary Islands. The program includes the fascinating volcanic landscapes of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, as well as the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira.

In mid-April 2019, AIDAnova is then setting sail for another favourite travel spot – the Mediterranean. Mediterranean destinations such as Majorca, Barcelona, Rome, Florence and Marseille are scheduled for the summer season.

AIDAnova being bunkered by the tanker Cardissa at Santa Cruz de Tenerife

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The fire-racked SINCERITY ACE (see report above) has been abandoned by the crew after unsuccessful efforts to contain the blaze, which was termed as ‘significant’ when first reported. The crew began abandoning ship and sadly, three crew members showed no sign of life when their bodies were recovered from the sea, while another two are confirmed as having died.

The 16 survivors from the original crew of 21 have been taken aboard…

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CHINESE HEAVYLIFT HAI YANG SHI YOU 278 WITH OIL RIG ON DECK IN DURBAN FOR REPAIRS

Earlier this year the heavylift carrier, Hai Yang Shi You 278 (IMO 9635793) called at Durban with a very similar load, a drill rig of the same company, and is seen here departing Durban on 16 May this year. Picture: Trevor Jones

Late last week the heavylift ship HAI YANG SHI YOU No. 278 returned to Durban for what is reported to be maintenance repairs.

The ship is carrying a cargo of a drill oil rig very similar to that which she was carrying when she called in Durban in May this year and which may in fact be the same load. The heavylift has berthed on the New Pier, berth 104 where it is understood that maintenance type repairs are to be carried out lasting three or four or more days.

Hai Yang Shi You 278, picture above on her previous call, is owned by Chinese interests and managed/operated by the Dutch group Dockwise Shipping BV.

Incidentally, there are at least 111 ships carrying the name Hai Yang Shi You – not all heavylifts to be sure although there are several of those. Ship number 278, 52,789-dwt, was built in 2012. The ship is 221.6 metres in length and 42m wide. She has arrived in Durban with her last call at Las Palmas.

In the latest search and seizure Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat seized…

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73-YEAR OLD AMERICAN MEDIVACCED OFF CRUISE SHIP SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER NEAR MOSSEL BAY

Seven Seas Explorer at Lerwick. Picture by James Pottinger

A 73-yearold American man has been medically evacuated off the 54,000-gt Regent Seven Seas cruise ship SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER as the luxury ship cruised along the South African coast on Friday (28 December 2018).

The drama began on yesterday evening (Friday) at 20h00 when the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Mossel Bay Station, was alerted…

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CMA CGM ANNOUNCES IMPROVEMENTS TO ASEA-KENYA-MOGADISHU SERVICE

French container line CMA CGM has announced and improvement to its Asia (Asea), Kenya and Mogadishu Service, which it says is in order to maintain a high service reliability and punctuality.

“In a continuous effort to further increase our level of service and reliability to Somalia, starting with M/V COSCO OSAKA, Voyage 0412DW1MA ETA Mombasa…

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SOUTH AFRICA LAUNCHES ITS MOST ADVANCED NANO-SATELLITE, PRECURSOR TO ADVANCED MARITIME COMMUNICATIONS

The vast Vostochny Spaceport near the Russian border with China

South Africa has successfully launched into space the continent’s most advanced nanosatellite to date – the ZACube-2.

The ZACube-2 will provide cutting edge remote sensing and communication services to South Africa and the region.

This satellite will help us monitor our ocean traffic as part of our oceans economy and also monitor veld fires and provide near real-time fire information ensuring a quick response time by disaster management teams, Minister of Science and Technology Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said…

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CMA CGM ANNOUNCES IMPROVEMENT FOR NOURA SERVICE

French shipping company CMA CGM has announced an improvement to its NOURA Service covering East Africa and the Indian Ocean markets, which it says is to maintain a high service reliability and punctuality.

The NOURA Service connects the Middle East to East Africa.

The updated service takes effect from the sailing of the vessel CMA CGM MANET on Voyage 01 L17S1MA, expected to sail from Jebel Ali on 3 January 2019.

NOURA is a direct service with a comprehensive coverage of East Africa and Indian Ocean markets and is to benefit by way of a 6th sister ship of 2,200 TEU to address the recurrent port congestion currently being experienced.

Mombasa is now added in the port coverage to permit a significant service improvement for the Asia cargo bound to Somalia and transiting via the Kenya hub.

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